


Orchids

by orphan_account



Series: Once upon a time, love bloomed in hell [3]
Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Alastor is aroace, Emotional Constipation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Hanahaki Disease, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:27:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26483413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Why would a stupid, weak, glimmer of hope make people so happy yet so fragile?It was wrong…It was too much effort…
Relationships: Alastor & Husk (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Arackniss/Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel)
Series: Once upon a time, love bloomed in hell [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859926
Comments: 26
Kudos: 139





	1. Looking back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Murosaki_Iro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murosaki_Iro/gifts).



> Nanananannan, here I am! Thirs part of this series!! Are you ready??  
> You can find me on Twitter, if you want: @cam3ulia

**_ Once Upon A Time, Love Bloomed in Hell : Chapter 3 _ **

**_Orchids_ **

**_1_ **

**_Looking back_ **

****

**Decades ago…**

“I like you…”

Alastor couldn’t say he hadn’t expected that from Husk, and yet his stomach twisted and tightened at the sound of those words alone.

“I like you too,” Alastor said, pouring wine into his glass. The bar was empty that night and, even though drinking with a corpse abandoned in the backyard was not the best, Alastor hoped he’d have a chance to relax, even for a little bit.

Husk sighed, “not in a friendly way,” and filled his fifth glass with a weird mix of booze.

“Oh.”

“Oh? Nothing else?” He didn’t sound angry, Alastor could guess that much – tired, drunk, Husk was many things at that moment but, definitely, not angry. Not with Alastor, at least.

“I don’t know what to say, Husker,” the radio-host tried, circling the border of the glass with his index finger, “I like your company and such, but I don’t see you as a --- potential partner.”

The bartender snorted, “yeah, I figured.”

Afterward, silence fell between them – it wasn’t awkward, it wasn’t unpleasant, bu t it wasn’t their usual silence either. Husk wasn’t smiling like usual; Alastor wasn’t humming an improvised tune like he used to. They were both waiting for the other to speak, hoping to not hear something unwanted, but it was still appreciable. They knew they were not mad at each other, and that was all that mattered.

“Is there a chance for me to become a potential partner?” Husk asked, glancing at Alastor sideways.

“I don’t know,” Alastor didn’t like making plans for the future – he didn’t even know if he’d be alive the day after, let alone knowing if he’d fall in love or not.

“Damn, dude, you know nothing,” the other man teased, chuckling bitterly before drinking.

After that, they stopped talking. Husker ended up falling asleep on the counter and after checking that he was okay, Alastor went outside, took a deep breath, and came back to the corpse. Before thinking about how to face Husk the day after, he needed to take care of that little inconvenience.

**

**Now…**

“What’s happening, gentlemen?”

When Alastor came back from his Radio Tower that evening, he saw sunflowers everywhere. He followed the stream from the entrance to the bar, allowing the big, yellow petals to lead the way. It seemed that everyone was falling in love at that time, and Alastor couldn’t help it but question how was it possible.

Love season? Probably, yes – there was no other logical explanation.

“Noodles is in love,” Husk explained, cleaning the counter from Pentious’ flowers.

Alastor quirked an eyebrow, “since when? I believe he was in perfect shape this morning.”

“Love at first sight,” came from the snake who was trying to drink but with no result – he kept spitting out both flowers and liquid, forcing Alastor to look away – gosh, it was disgusting.

“Love at first sight my ass,” Husk hissed, “none of that bullshit in my bar.”

Tiptoeing towards a free stool, a few feet away from Pentious, Alastor wondered if love at first sight was really possible in hell. A demon surrounded by many other demons who could, possibly, ending up killing you once again – was it really that easy to forget it and just … love a stranger from their first impression?

“And who is the unfortunate soul?”

“The slut’s brother,”Pentious replied, sticking out his tongue to pick a petal stuck to it. He picked it with two fingers and then pressed it against his lips to place a soft kiss, “but it’s a lost cause.”

It took Alastor a moment to understand who the ‘slut’ was – of course, he knew Angel was a sex-worker but after those few days in his office with him, teaching him the basis of dialectics and writing his speech for his little show, he had almost forgotten who the spider was.

Telling the truth, it was weird to know that someone like Angel wanted to create a show that was not based on sex but, hey, who was him to judge?

“Lost cause? Is he in love with someone else?”

“Worst,” came from Husk, who was throwing sunflowers into the garbage bin.

“Way worse than that,” Nifty added, popping out from under the counter with a garbage bag full of buds, “the guy likes girls. He confessed right away and got rejected…”

Alastor’s mouth turned into a silent ‘o’, “a case of different sexuality, nothing you can change, it seems.”

The snake whined, “have mercy for a heartbroken man, please.”

“Well, I hate to say this, but Al is right – you can’t change it,” Husk intervened as Nifty ran away to take the trash outside. It wasn’t their intention to break the snake demon even more, but it was the truth, and it didn’t matter if he was going to throw up his insides or not, Angel’s brother’s taste would not change.

“Change what?” a voice asked from the main door – Alastor and Pentious turned, slowly, meeting two, big eyes peeking from the main door.

“Oh, demon belle,” Alastor chirped, “it’s nothing you need to worry about,” earning another painful whine from Pentious.

“Is --- is he in love?” Charlied asked, looking down on the floor and following the path of yellow and spit.

“He fell for the wrong man,” Husk said, poking Pentious hat as if trying to understand if that thing was alive or what. Alastor smiled at that and a soft static was audible for a brief moment.

“Arackniss is not the wrong man!” Pentious protested, “he is so cute with his tiny legs, his black fur – and his suit! Curses! He looks so good – if only he liked men too!”

“Arackniss? Angel’s brother? Isn’t he bi?”

The trio froze and for both Pentious’ eyes and the one on his hat widened, scaring off Husk, “excuse me?! Don’t play with my heart, miss! I confessed and he said he liked women!”

Though, the princess shook her head, smiling so reassuringly that Alastor couldn’t understand whether she was faking it or not, “I’m not playing! Angel told me Arackniss as --- well ---” She stopped, biting her bottom lip and frowning.

“Talk, princess! Please! So I can kick this stupid snake out of my bar – he and the slut are transforming this place into a flower shop!” Husk barked out, glaring at the snake.

“Well, it’s a family issue. This is everything I can tell you… But, I assure you, he is bi – after all, you’re flower ---”

Pentious seemed to brighten up, reptilian tongue slipping out to wiggle happily, “what? My flower what?! Please, princess, tell me! If is there anything I can do…”

This time, was Charlie the one who didn’t understand, “what do you mean? Don’t you know the meaning of your flower…?”

Husk scowled, “the meaning?”

“Yes! The meaning! Flowers have a meaning, and it can help you understand what you need to do to have a happy and long-lasting relationship,” the princess explained, taking a giant, yellow petal from the floor, “I thin, sunflowers mean loyalty, so, everything you need to do is to show that your feelings are pure and sincere. Oh-oh! This sounds like a good starting point for a redemption, isn’t it?”

But Alastor was not listening anymore. His eyes were focused on Husk – he could see the cat’s gears in his brain moving, trying to recall the flower of his wasted love. But which one of the two was it? The flower that died for his spoiled marriage or --- or was it the one long-forgotten of…

“Do you know what … asters and iris mean?” the cat asked and Alastor’s gaze shifted, looking down on Pentious. Of course, he told himself, of course, it was both. Husk had yet to let go of those stupid memories that were causing him all kinds of problems.

But before Al could open his mouth to speak, Husk asked again, “or camelias. Do you know it?”

Another white noise, louder, echoed in the room.

Camelias.

Angel’s flower.

Why was he asking for that one?

Charlie tapped her middle finger on her chin, pouting, “I don’t know… I’m sor---”

“To the library, gentlemen!” Pentious interrupted her, jumping on the spot, straightening his tail, and pointing to the ceiling.

“What for?” Alastor asked, grinning but not missing Husk’s frown.

“To check the meaning of the flower,” the cat said, slamming his paws on the counter, “and no need for a library, we can do it using internet, you dumbass.”

Charlie raised her hand to speak, “what’s happen---” but before she could end it, Pentious hugged her so tight, surrounding her with his big, bulky tail.

“Thank you, princess, thank you so much!” He hurried to say, making Alastor question if it was time for him to leave the scene.

That was not his place – there was so much happiness and hope around him that he had the feeling to not fit in that bright, colorful picture. It didn’t seem right to him.

He didn’t understand at all.

Why would someone be so invested in something as temporary as love?

Why would a stupid, weak, glimmer of hope make people so happy yet so fragile?

It was wrong…

It was too much effort…

“Well, I’ll leave you to your researches, then,” as soon as Charlie got out from Pentious deadly embrace, the demon tried to leave and Alastor wanted to follow her example. He wanted to get out from there as soon as possible too, but, again, curiosity made him weak. Weak and pathetic.

He wanted to know.

He wanted to know what Angel’s and Husk’s flower mean.

But he could always check alone, in the privacy of his room, couldn’t he?

“Well, if you excuse me, I’ll take my leave…“

“Camelias. You need to check white camelia!” Husk shouted as he followed Charlie outside, “and don’t fuck it up, asshole!”

“It’s about Angel, is it?” The princess asked heading outside, in the silence of the corridor.

“I think, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” pretending wouldn’t take him anywhere, he knew that, but he didn’t want to have that kind of conversation in an open space like that of the hotel. Too many demons were lurking, ready to chit-chat about everything and everyone.

That kind of exposure was completely unwanted.


	2. Regret?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor is plotting.

**_ Once Upon A Time, Love Bloomed in Hell : Chapter 3 _ **

**_Orchids_ **

**_2_ **

**_Regret_ **

**Decades ago…**

It was night, as always – it was night and it was cold, too much cold. Alastor was freezing in the forest, alone, holding a flimsy shovel and an oil lamp. Dirt was covering his trousers and a few spots of blood were on his shirts.

God, he needed a shower, but, unfortunately, he couldn’t leave, not yet.

“See,” he started, “if you weren’t so heavy, I’d have buried you a long time ago, my friend,” huffing, he placed the lamp on the ground, a few feet away from the dead body.

“Or you should gain weight,” the voice of a man, a man Alastor liked to believe he wouldn’t lose, no matter what.

“Husker, my friend, instead of pointing out useless issues such as my weight, be a dear and help me,” four hands were better than one, Alastor told himself, trying not to pay attention to Husk coughing behind him.

“Alastor, my dear asshole! If you hadn’t noticed, I’m throwing up my insides,” and yet, the bartender got closer, snatching the shovel from his hands, “so, I’d appreciate it if you could ask nicely, at least!”

Alastor sighed and watched as his friend threw dirt on the poor victim, “oh, my dearest Husk – could you please help me?”

Husk grunted and while trying to speak up, tiny, purplish flowers fell off from his mouth, ending up on the corpse.

**Now…**

“Asters, Anthony, Husk’s flowers were asters,” why was Alastor answering that question? He didn’t know, but for once, Angel had asked him so nicely that the reply had come out so easily.

The spider tilted his head, hugging the pillow he had, once again, took from his room to feel more comfortable in Alastor’s office.

“Mmh, never heard of it before,” the taller demon admitted, avoiding the piece of paper waiting under his eyes on the desk. Alastor had prepared a few exercises for him to do, diction exercises, and Angel hated each and every one of these, the deer demon had noticed it since day one.

“Anthony…”

“Yes, Smiles?”

“You said you wanted my help,” and started rapping his fingers on the wooden surface, “but everything you are doing is refusing to do what I suggest you.”

Angel wiggled on his chair, “I’m not doing it on purpose,” he said, holding the scrip with his second pair of hands, “I just --- I’ve been thinking …”

“Oh, so you can think – wonderful!”

Glaring at him the spider, stuck is tongue out, and all his tiny eyes under the big ones sparkled for a moment, “Yes, asshole, I can think and, I was wondering --- Husk --- how is he going on without loving anyone?”

Blinking, Alastor’s fingers slowed down their annoying tip-tap, “explain yourself, Anthony. I don’t understand how this could be relevant.”

The spider pointed at one of the tongue-twisters on the paper, “I just can’t focus on reading those absurd sentences. I keep thinking of you and kitty-cat.”

“Then why are you here?” It came out harsher than intended, but it didn’t change that Alastor had yet to understand why Angel was wasting their time if he couldn’t focus on their job.

Angel moped, “isn’t it clear enough for you?”

“I wouldn’t need to ask you if I knew…”

“I want to spend time with you, and I want to know more about you and Husk,” the admission was still confusing…

“I don’t understand, I’m sorry,” Alastor struggled to see the absurd connection Angel was making, “I believe our exercise to prepare you for your little talk-show is more important.”

Angel said nothing and kept his eyes on the paper, murmuring something that Alastor couldn’t really understand.

“Anthony, if you’re so invested in wanting to know about us, you can just leave and ask Husk. I know he won’t keep his mouth shut – I need to work.”

Slowly, Angel lifted his eyes, “Work? What do you need to do?”

“Nothing more than trifles, my dear. A broadcast is waiting for me; it seems a poor soul is not able to stay away from my proteges,” and he had to teach him a lesson. A boring, long, broadcast that nobody ever wanted to listen too for too long. After all, not everybody liked to know how his victims got killed…

Curses! He missed his usual, lovely shows he used to do when he was a common human being…

“Can I stay?”

“Of course you --- wait, what?”

Angel smiled, throwing the pillow away, onto the couch, “Vaggie said you broadcast during your murders! I want to see!”

Okay --- this --- this was odd…

“Okay, Anthony, where is the trick? Aren’t you going to tell me this is bad?” Al could still remember each, and every day Husk had asked him to stop with his bloody life, until simple requests became pleas. Of course, Alastor was still going on with that attitude – of course, Husker had given up at a certain point.

But Angel? The spider looked at him with bright, puppy eyes, euphoric.

“It’s a punitive expedition, isn’t it?”

Alastor nodded, earning a low giggle from Angel, “I wanna join!”

Yes, this was very odd.

Pleasantly odd.

**

The punitive expedition, as Angel liked to call it, had taken more time than intended, making him almost forget the other errands of that day. Hopefully, Husk was still waiting for him, outside the hotel – the cat was grinning widely.

“I heard you had a little help today with your show.”

“He is quite the help, indeed – I hope the audience liked the screams, the pain…” Angel had been just so good that afternoon! The blood, the horror, and the songs! Oh, it’s been so long since last time he was able to sing during his show!

He could almost get used to that weird partnership – almost.

“I bet they did! You even sang for those motherfuckers!”

They walked side by side on the sidewalk, humming an old tune of theirs and Alastor thought it was just like back then when they were still alive, and they used to get out in the forest after his show. In hell, they couldn’t find a forest as good as the one surrounding their town, but at that hour the streets where almost empty and the darkness was almost as its full gloom.

“Do you remember the guy we buried in the forest?” Husk asked, started flying instead of walking. Ah, what a show-off he was.

“The one you vomited on?”

“After your death, a few asters bloomed there…”

Alastor said nothing: what was there to say? It was a piece of useless information, but, if Husk’s snort was of any indication, the cat expected him to reply.

“How do you know?” He tried, not knowing what else could he possibly want him to ask.

“I don’t know – I felt like the forest was the only place where I could still feel you.”

“Getting emotional, aren’t we?” Really, it wasn’t Al’s intention to mock him, and yet, he couldn’t help it but found it very, very stupid. It was an old story already – it was a book nobody wanted to read again.

Yet, Husk laughed harshly, “Hey, asshole, give me a break! I found out what the flower meant, and I can’t stop thinking of it!”

“What’s the meaning?” Al asked, genuinely curious this time. He had been so occupied that he had no time to check it himself, neither aster’s nor camelia’s. After all, knowing what Angel had to do to win his sympathy, would have only ruined their little game. It would be like cheating.

Sighing, Husk placed a hand on his own chest, as if he could still feel the ache of an unrequited love and their broken promise, “take care of you for me.”

Well, Alastor though, sneering, this explained everything, “I never took care of myself.”

“I know… you were a fucking asshole all the time! I told you to rest and you decided to work all night long; I told you to take a vacation and you got more shifts at the radio.”

“So, it’s my fault, isn’t it?” Not that Alastor cared that much – the past stayed in the past.

“If I was still in love with you, I’d hit you right in the face for the carelessness you’re admitting it,” and probably, he deserved it, the deer considered. Though, he didn’t like the idea of getting punched by his friend.

“Do you think you would still love me if I gave you back your ability to love?”

It was a pointless question, or so Alastor thought before noticing that Husk had stopped following him and, instead, just stayed there, mid-air, eyes wide and mouth moving, as if he was trying to say something but couldn’t. Words failed him, and what came out was just a low, whine.

“Oh, relax, my friend! It was out of curiosity – I’m not interested in a relationship, neither with you nor with Angel,” but then, why had he accepted Angel’s deal? He couldn’t quite figure it out. It had happened in an instant: a moment before he was trying to trick Angel with a deal of his, and at the end, he got out of it being the tricked one.

“One day you’ll regret it,” Husk warned him eventually.

“What? Rejecting you?” Nonsense. Alastor never had regrets but resuming his fly, the cat got closer to him.

“You keep pushing everyone away – what will you do when nobody will be there for you anymore? What will you do when you’ll be alone and pathetic?”

Alastor shrugged it off, “I’ll survive, my dear.”

“Yeah, and what happened last time we left you alone? You died, that’s what happened.”

“Are you saying that not being interested in any physical or romantic relationship will lead me to death, dear Husk? I believe your mouth is full of many sentences you don’t even know the meaning of,” and this was infuriating, to say the least. Alastor believes that, when the day would come, he’d have the right person at his side.

The right person at the right moment, and now, of course, it was not that moment.

Husker grunted, “see? You’re doing this again, fucking asshole! You are allowed to not feel the need to be in a relationship but, at least, you can give other people a chance instead of…”

“My, my, Husker – you’re lucky we were friends, or I’d have shut that mouth of yours in no time,” the static got out of his throat as soon as Alastor’s boredom became too much. Gosh, he hated those discussions.

Walking faster, a few demons covered their ears with their hands, hissing and cursing him for that loud, noisy sound.

“Were?” And why now Husker sounded so hurt?

“Aren’t you so full of yourself? After all those years you come here thinking that you must babysit me, thinking that I’m not able to take care of myself but you never understood that I’m a masochist – I’m a sadistic too.”

“So what? Are you going to cut me off?”

Alastor considered the idea for a moment, making Husk go pale, “are you really thinking about it?! After all those yea---”

“Oh, gentlemen,” luckily, Rosie interrupted them, waving a hand at them from the table outside the restaurant they were going to. Finally, Alastor recalled why Husk was out with him in the first place…

“Good evening,” Husk greeted, anticipating the deer to take place at one of Rosie’s side. At the opposite chair, Alastor at there, closing his eyes, hoping to calm down a bit to the point of reducing the annoying static to an imperceptible buzz.

“During this tedious waiting, I ordered something for you,” she offered, smiling, “a black tea for my dear Alastor and a zombie cocktail for my lovely Husk.”

The deer grinned – lovely Husk, uh? Why was she starting to be that obvious right now? Though, the cat demon seemed very excited, wiggling his tail euphorically and purring, “now we are talking!”

Oh, if only Husk knew what Alastor and Rosie were plotting for him, probably, he wouldn’t be so happy. But that was a conversation for another time.

Faking with him was so easy…


	3. Matchmaker

**_ Once Upon A Time, Love Bloomed in Hell : Chapter 3 _ **

**_Orchids_ **

**_3_ **

**_Matchmaker_ **

****

**Decades ago…**

Alastor arrived at the bakery right after Husk had just left.

He was right on time to meet who he hoped would be Husk’s next love interest. Like every morning, she was behind the counter, putting in order a few cakes and biscuits.

From her appearance alone, Alastor considered her a fine lady, indeed: tall, long curly hair, gentle features. More importantly, she was a great baker: she’d make the perfect partner for his dear Husk who was such a kid when it came down to sweets and cakes.

“Good morning, miss,” it wasn’t like Alastor at all to stick his nose into other people’s affairs but, if Husk didn’t want to get the surgery, he could, at least, try to give him a little push. The bartender needed to follow the right direction and Alastor was not part of that same path, and never would be.

The woman smiled back at him, and, god, it was so fake! Of course, it was! After all, how could she possibly be enjoying the reason of her disease…? But today, Alastor hoped to solve that issue nicely and quickly.

Placing a chocolate cake in front of her, she greeted him, “Alastor! If you’re looking for Husk, he left a moment ago,” but then he shook his head.

“I’m here for you,” he said instead, taking a couple of tickets from his messenger-bag, “I believe, I have a deal for you.”

Gasping, the girl’s eyebrows lifted. “what can I do for you?”

“Tomorrow it’s Husker’s birthday.”

She nodded, wrinkling her nose, “I know – I wanted to buy him a gift, but I had to take care of the bakery. I might prepare a cake or something bu --- what are those?” Tilting her head, she looked curiously at the tickets Alastor was handing her.

“Train tickets, for you and Husker. He told me it’s your free day tomorrow. I thought you could use a little break away from the city,” and as he spoke, he felt something very little ticklish his lungs from the inside. It was not a big deal, though.

Her eyes flickered briefly from the tickets to his face, lifting the corners of her lips until her eyes too couldn’t hide her happiness, “really, Al?”

“Of course, dear. In exchange, you won’t tell him that I gave you those.”

Strangely, her joy turned into a deep frown, “why?”

“Because you’re the only one who can make him happy.”

At first, she seemed a little hesitant and Alastor had not expected her to not accept them at his first offering. Biting at her bottom lip, she seemed dubious, “why are you doing it?”

“He is refusing the surgery.”

She snorted, bringing her hand closer to his still holding out the tickets, “is he?”

“I consider him a dear friend of mine; I don’t want to see him die.”

**

**Now…**

That day, Alastor wasn’t supposed to meet anyone and yet, when someone knocked at the door of his office, he knew exactly who it was. Sighing, the deer left Angel knocking, more and more, without allowing his shadow to open the door to let him in.

What on Lucifer’s name was that spider thinking to do? They had no reason to meet that day and he was busy correcting the speech for Charlie…

“C’mon, Smiles, I know you’re in!”

Without waiting for its Master’s order, the shadow slipped under the desk and reached out for the door consenting the annoying spider to get in. Ah – damn shadow…

The deer didn’t bother lifting his eyes from the discourse he was correcting, reading all over again the full document. Still, he could sense Angel’s eyes on him and his childish smile. He was radiating positivity to the point that Alastor himself could feel it on his skin.

And annoyance started to turn into something else, softer and less bothersome.

“Smiles! Husk told me you like iced coffee!” The spider shined, sitting right on his desk, “I know a place…”

“As much as I’d appreciate an iced coffee right now, I must inform you that I’m too busy at the moment,” only half true. He was positive, Charlie’s speech didn’t need any more corrections; if all the red marks crossing useless words and whatnot were of any indication, the job was done and ready to go.

The spider seemed to be thinking the same as he leaned in to give a better look at what Alastor was scribbling.

Quirking an eyebrow, Angel chortled, “you can always work on it, later on, Smiles. The big part is done! You’ll only waste ink if you keep circling those words over and over again!”

“But what if I’m missing something? I want to be sure everything is okay,” because it was for the Hotel’s prosperity. Charlie would have another chance, next week, to describe what the hotel is about on the picture show: he had to be sure everything was ready and perfect. He was having a migraine, though, and he couldn’t quite focus at that moment – but he had no time to waste…

“Smiles, please! How am I supposed to entertain you if you don’t let me?” Whined the taller demon, placing his hand on the sheet of paper.

“This seems like a ‘you’ problem, Anthony…”

“Don’t you want to know what that dumbass of Vox has done today?”

The deer blinked, “I don’t think I heard you correctly,” Vox? What did he know about Vox that Al didn’t already know?

“Well, let’s say he did something very stupid and,” placing a hand on the paper to cover it completely, “that I’m willing to tell you only if you join me for a drink.”

“Anthony, I have to work,” the deer whispered but what he got back from the spider was a low, annoyed sound.

“Oh, yes! You mean the work you’ve already done?”

“You know that I could easily kick you out of here without any problem, right?” He didn’t like people telling him when to stop. What else could he do if he wasn’t working or killing? A break didn’t seem right – it didn’t seem deserved, in a certain way.

“Yeah, yeah, but I’d probably enjoy it knowing that you like causing pain to others,” the spider coed, lowering his bust to get eyes-level with Alastor. Unexpectedly, he let go of the piece of paper to grab the Radio Demon’s hand, making him flinch. For a moment, Alastor thought he was going to place his hands in places he didn’t quite want to explore, but when Angel guided it towards his slender neck, a bit above his black choker, the deer’s eyes went wide.

That was a new…

“Are you playing with me, Anthony?” he closed his fingers around the white neck. Alastor wasn’t one who liked hunting down his prey, and when something as rare as this happened, he felt adrenaline making him weird.

When his prey decided to concede himself, on his own accord, Alastor felt something similar to excitement.

Honestly, it was the best. It was even better than the killing itself!

“Who --- knows,” the spider replied, gasping as the gloved hand tightened, even more. Oh, that bravery in his eyes; the cockiness; the lust. Angel was playing with fire there!

“I could break your neck so easily, dear,” he could and, honestly, he’d have liked to. There was, how could he say it - there was a certain thrill running along his spine at the thought alone of snapping Angel’s fragile neck.

The spider was winded, opening and closing his mouth on repeat. Indeed, the dear Angel must have provoked him that way thinking that Alastor would have let him go, but now that the fingers were pressing, hard, against his skin and a devilish grin was raising on Al’s face – well – Angel didn’t seem to be enjoying this as much as he wanted.

He could kill the poor spider right there and, perhaps, he should.

Trying to breathe, the spider spat out a few petals.

Oh – right… the flowers. Stupid, useless, love.

He really should kill the demon…

At least, Angel wouldn’t suffer any more for the disease…

And yet, he let go of him, “as much as I’d like to try spider meat,” he resumed, transforming the deadly grasp in something gentler and less harmful, “It’s not your time to leave us – not yet.”

He only hoped Angel would keep entertaining him and he probably would, considering the poor thing was smiling now.

“I know you wouldn’t kill me!” He said, massaging his neck.

“How could I?” Alastor mused, finally, standing up and sending his shadow to collect his coat.

“Uh? Are you going somewhere? Didn’t you say you had work to do?” Puzzled, Angel got down from the desk, adjusting his shorts.

Now – now! Was Angel that dense or he believed that he was still alive just out of mere compassion?

“Why, my dear. You said you wanted to entertain me, and I believe you asked me you to keep you company for a drink, didn’t you?” but as he leaded the way out of his office, Angel noticed the shadow was staying there, floating around the desk to put everything in order. Though, the spider kept following him like a happy puppy.

It was --- dared he said “cute”?

“And your shadow?”

“Oh, the poor things have work to do,” aka, it needed to check on the Hotel during their break, but Angel didn’t need to know the details about it, didn’t he?

Leaving the hotel was quite easy, honestly. Easier than Al had previously thought: Husk was not at the counter (weird, but he didn’t question it); Nifty was singing while cleaning the common area and did not notice them; as for Charlie and Vaggie, well, they were taking a walk outside to see if they could add a garden.

Nobody payed attention to them or, better, nobody they knew about did. Instead, all the other lesser demons did, and glared at them, sneering and wondering aloud if the Hell’s best slut had finally found himself a sugar daddy. Alastor was not interested in knowing what a sugar daddy was, but he kept listening and learned that it was supposed to be someone who spoiled and took care of the partner in any possible way.

Mmh, it was indeed true that Alastor was one that liked to reward his proteges whenever they did good, but --- ugh --- he couldn’t picture himself as someone who did it on a daily basis. Why would someone be so caring and loving…?

Gifts were made only if someone deserved them – or was he wrong?

Apparently, not everyone agreed with him.

“Don’t kill anyone, Smiles,” but instead of sounding like a warning, Angel’s words came out like an invitation. The tone was too playful for being serious – or was Alastor reading too much into it?

“I wouldn’t dream of it, dear – I try to avoid useless bloodshed.”

“Aw! And what about the guy we killed the other day?” Angel asked, making a few demons shut their mouth in an instant. Oh, they were afraid of dying, again, weren’t they?

“Oh, that’s a whole different story, Anthony. That demon was trying to force his feelings on our lovely Nifty – I couldn’t allow it.”

Giggling, Angel grabbed him from his forearm to take him on the other side of the street, where a little, early 50’s style bakery was, “a bit overprotective, aren’t we?” but as soon as Alastor was opening his mouth to tell him to let him go, Angel did, without giving him a chance to scold the spider. It seemed he was learning some manners, after all – was I because of their little deal? Perhaps.

“I’m not overprotective,” the deer protested, following Angel inside to look for a table that was well hidden from prying eyes, a choice that Alastor appreciated a lot, “I made a deal with Nifty, long time ago.”

He could still recall the state in which he had found her: she was so tiny and lost, wounded and begging him for mercy even though Alastor hadn’t had no intention to hurt her in the first place, “ She asked for protection, and I won’t fail her.”

“Watch out, Smiles, someone might think you’re actually kindlier than what you give out,” and strangely, Alastor wouldn’t mind at all. It was their fault if they could believe he was everything but evil.

Later on, a wolf demon came to get their order and Angel seemed so pleasantly eager to spoke first that Alastor allowed him to. The spider took an exaggeratedly sweet, caramel coffee with cream while, instead, he ordered a bitter, iced coffee on Alastor’s behalf.

For a moment, Alastor believed they were over the phase of talking but, indeed, Angel seemed to have something else he wanted to talk about. Anxiously, the spider proceeded putting a hand in his hair (fur? Al didn’t know how to call it anymore), rolling a strand around his finger.

The deer had hoped to wait for his coffee listening to the lovely music coming from behind the counter, but his companion had other ideas…

“So – ahah, Smile --- can I --- can I make a personal question?”

“Don’t waste your chance with useless politeness, Anthony – I know you’d ask me everything eventually,” and he couldn’t say he hated this childish curiosity, but it was always a good idea to hide this thought from the other man.

Sighing, Angel moped, “you said you feel neither romantic attraction nor sexual.”

Mmmh, did he, really? Alastor didn’t remember saying it to Angel…

“So – how can you have a healthy relationship even like this?”

The deer quirked an eyebrow, “first and foremost, bold of you to assume that there is something healthy in me,” which made Angel giggle a bit, making Alastor’s smile only wider, “and second, you fail me, my dear. Have you ever heard of mental attraction?”

Suddenly, the spider half-working eye dilatated, “what?”

“You can be the most lovely person in this world, or the most appealing but if what you have in your brain,” he said, emphasizing his words by pointing at his own head, “if what you have here is rotten, I won’t ever consider you for a relationship.”

“Isn’t it the same as falling in love…?”

The deer shook his head, “not really, dear Anthony. Many people fall in love because of how their lover make them feel. Because they make you feel special and loved – I, on the contrary, am more attracted by your reasoning. But---”

“But?”

“Not everyone is like me. I know a lot of demons like me who found love in hell. Some of them are married too, now.”

Though, the spider didn’t seem to understand, “how?”

“If you’re a romantic, you can say that they found the “person you meet once in a lifetime”, but I prefer to call them “exceptions”.”

“Oh, and… was your girlfriend the … exception?”

Oh.

OHOH.

Nice question, “no, I believe she was not,” he admitted, honestly, “she was just a – momentary relationship. For me, it was about seeking entertainment – for her --- it was about finding her self esteem.”

“What do you mean?” And was it concern what Alastor heard in Angel’s voice? Perhaps, yes.

“People fall in love too easily, dear,” he resumed, smiling bittersweetly, “but when is it genuine love and when is not? Do you really care for the person you’re in a relationship with or are you like me, who uses it as a stage – or are you like her, who believed that she couldn’t have anything better than what we had?”

When Angel remained silent, Alastor went on, “not many people die for the disease. Most of the just – go on. They end up loving someone else when you don’t meet their expectations, and even people like you, who love and have sex normally, base your relationship on those expectations. So, dear, what are you expectations for us?”

‘Us’ – it’s been so long since last time he had used it and it felt so weird. Its taste on his tongue was inviting, sweet but dared he said boring? A ‘us’ was not in his pl---

“I don’t know…” Angel replied.

“What…?” And now was Alastor’s turn to stay there, mouth agape and eyes flickering.

“I don’t know what I expect from this,” the spider said, trying to make himself little on that chair, “I know I want you to like me, but I don’t have expectations; how can I? The first time I saw you, I thought you were a fucking, sweet strawberry pimp – and now? Now I know that you’re one of the most evil, vile overlords in Hell!”

Alastor said nothing and looked like he was freezing in time. He didn’t even blink…

“Al?” Angel tried, widening his eyes, “AL?! Did I – did I fucked up?!”

“Oh…?”

“What ‘oh’?! Al?!”

Finally, the deer blinked, “I’m ---”

“Mad? Upset? Disappointed?”

Alastor frowned, “no. I am --- surprised. Pleasantly surprised,” which was enough to make the other demon brighten up like a little kid.

“Really, Smiles? Really?”

“Why, you, yes, Anthony. I must admit, I thought you were expecting me to turn into a gentle lover or something…”

The spider tilted his head, licking his lips, “well, I wouldn’t mind a bit of kindness from you but you must know that I love a rough guy like you.”

“I know people who would beg to differ,” like his ex, for example, or Husk himself…

“But now I’m curious,” Angel spoke up again, when the waiter came back with their orders, “have you ever met your exception when you were alive?”

And, slowly but surely, in Al’s mind resurfaced the image of a flower that he didn’t know the name of – he never bothered finding out its name, not even once. He’d always thought it was stupid…

“Yes, once, I believe,” it was a weird to describe as its petals were, most of the time, messy and ruined, but he recalled very well that it was elegant and fragile, of a delicate nuance of yelow.

“Who was she? Or was it a man?” and at that, Angels started licking the cream at the top of his coffee, but Alastor didn’t see any sexual innuendo in it. It was like looking at a cat …

A cat.

He looked exactly like a certain someone now in hell, who had the animalistic tendency to drink and eat like the cat he was, (when nobody was watching, of course).

A certain --- someone …

“Husk.”

But Angel didn’t seem surprised at all, instead, he kept licking the cream, “eh, I figured. I know my deer.”

Mmh, how, Alastor wondered? Of course, he believed that Angel was a smart man too, when he wanted to, but was he really that capable of reading Al like an open book?

Oh, if that was true, it was truly fascinating.

Truly, truly fascinating.

“Oh, and what else do you think to know about me?”

Curious. Alastor was dead curious about what else Angel could figure out on his own and, possibly, to discover what else he was able to do.

“Perhaps – treat me to dinner and I'll tell you more?”

Did he always sound like a tease or was it Al's imagination?


	4. About your death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And this is how Al died - also known as the version nobody knew about.  
> Until now.

**_ Once Upon A Time, Love Bloomed in Hell : Chapter 4 _ **

**_Orchids_ **

**_4_ **

**_About your death_ **

****

**Decades ago…**

He was dying, wasn’t he? Everything he could hear was the incessant beating of his heart. It was like a drum playing into his ears, on repeat, getting louder and louder every second. It was impossible to hear anything else – he was sure there was a hunter getting closer to him, but he could only see the poor man.

The stranger raised his oil-lamp to what he believed to be his prey, but as the light hit Alastor’s body, revealing the atrocity made by the man. The hunter started saying something, looking around as to see if anyone had seen them, but Alastor could only understand bits and pieces judging for how his lips were moving.

And like this, Alastor was dying.

Of course, he was – but it was such a laughable death!

Honestly, the bullet wasn’t even that deep but what was actually causing him to give up, instead of waiting for help, was that stupid disease of his. Of all the time that his body could have decided to become a greenhouse, it had to be during his escape from ab incompetent hunter.

The flowers piling up into his lungs were able to suffocate not only himself, but the pain of the bullet stuck in his back too. He felt this burning sting under his left shoulder blade but other than that, what was making Al feel all kinds of discomforts were the petals.

Not the bullet used by the coops, but soft, useless petals.

They were too much.

The pressure was too much.

He was sure as hell his lungs would break – he could feel his inside stretching, little by little.

They’d break eventually!

The stupid petals would tear them open.

Oh, such a fool he was to believe that he’d have survived the disease!

What a shame…

What a dishonorable defeat!

Then, the hunter braced his rifle again, and, like that, he aimed for Alastor’s head, “I’m sorry…”

**_Now_ **

“Al…”

There was one thing that Alastor disliked of Charlie: she never knocked. Without announcing herself, she opened the door of Alastor’s room and stepped inside. Behind her, Vaggie was holding her spear, as if she could stand a chance against him…

It was endearing, but annoying, nonetheless.

After all those months, Vaggie had yet to understand that if he wanted to kill them all, he’d do it without a single warning, let alone giving her the pleasure to wound him. Aha – as if she could ever!

“Yes, demon belle?” Instead of looking up to her, Alastor kept scribbling on his journal – he had a few appointments to insert in his schedule for that week, and he was having a hard time finding the time for everyone. Rosie wanted to meet up to talk about a funny business of hers; that living-picture-show of Vox too desired a bit of his time; Angel needed to meet him too.

Everyone seemed to want a piece of the Greatest Radio Demon.

“Where is Husk…?”

His scribbling stopped, and a tiny, red spot of ink formed on the page, “what do you mean? He is at the counter, of course! I thought you knew that he’s always at the bar at this h---”

“He’s not there…” she interrupted him, forcing him to, finally, focus his attention solely on her, “Pentious said he is missing since yesterday.”

Mmh, he sure hadn’t seen him yesterday, but he didn’t think it was important now, was it?

“I do believe he is at Rosie’s place, then,” or so he hoped…

“Rosie? The Overlord?” cam from Vaggie, who almost dropped her weapon, “why?”

“She seems interested in out friendly bartender,” Alastor offered, tearing up the ruined page from his diary, “I suppose Husk is enjoying his staying with her.”

Though, Rosie never mentioned Husk presence when she had previously called him that morning, “or not?”

Charlie frowned, “or not?” She repeated.

“I’m not sure he is with her…”

“But you just said…”

“I know what I said,” he placed the pen at one side and snapping his fingers he ordered his shadow to go in the corridor, hoping for it to find Husk in his room, “but he wasn’t supposed to meet her alone.”

“Why?” Charlie asked, fidgeting with her bow, “is he in trouble?”

Suddenly, Alastor started moving his hands mid-air, wit no real meaning if not to catch the two girls attention, “I don’t think so. I believe he is perfectly fine, but I’m not sure of it either.”

“Oh, for Lucifer sake,” the moth shouted, swinging her spear from left to right, “is there something you know, or are you playing with us? We ain’t stupid, Radio Demon.”

Don’t laugh, Al, he told himself, don’t anger them, “well, I wouldn’t consider you a stupid but… I can’t even say that using that weapon of yours in the hotel is wise either.”

The girls stilled for a moment, sharing a moment of silence in which, if they could, Alastor believed they were engaged in a silent conversation between them. A few seconds later, as Vaggie dropped the spear with a sigh, probably because of Charlie’s pleading eyes, the two seemed to be wanting to try a different approach.

“Would you look for him, Al?” Charlie asked, tenderly.

“I’d appreciate it if you could add a ‘please’ to your request,” the Radio retorted, grinning as widely as he could.

The Hotel’s owner frowned, “please, Alastor, can you look for our bartender? We can’t keep the bar closed for long.”

Of course, the bar: it wasn’t about finding Husk per se, it was for the bar, “Oh, dear, correct your phrasing, just a bit, or someone might think everything you care of is your hotel.”

For a few seconds, Charline merely blinked, to then lowering her brows, frowning, and staring back at Alastor with red-glowing eyes, “Alastor, I know exactly what I mean by it. All the members of the staff are important to me!”

Not even Vaggie dared to interfere. The moth’s eye darted from her girlfriend to Alastor, waiting to see how the deer would react. A war between the two of them would be the hotel on fire and, for how much Alastor would have liked to see it, it was better for him to stop the tease.

The deer sighed, “well, I apologize, then. I’ll go and look for our lovely bartender right ahead,” and Charlie’s expression came back to her usual, cheerful smile. She was so easy, gosh – she was everything Lucifer was not anymore.

“Good! I knew I could count on you!”

“But I do have a request myself…” That was right, he was supposed to take Angel somewhere that same evening, “I wish to take Angel with me.”

“Oh,” was everything Charlie said, awfully hiding a happy smile, “why?” asked Vaggie right after. Always so curious…

“Someone needs to keep an eye on him,” was what Alastor offered instead. They didn’t need to know about his little deal with the spider, did they?

Though, after Alastor left the coziness of his office to follow the red carpet in the corridor, the more he got closer to Angel’s room, the more his non-living heart was skipping more and more beats. He shouldn’t be worried about it – after all, his heart was beating only out of an old usance of when he had been a human. It could beat or not, he couldn’t care less…

So, why, why was this odd occurrence bothering him?

Was it --- could it be anxiety the weird feeling making his body stiffen like that? Could it be an old, weird feeling echoing back from the past?

Each step was heavy on the floor, and, suddenly, he started thinking how could he ask Angel to help him finding Husk – but why was it? He was not able to figure it out, yet.

“Anthony,” he called, once in front of the star’s room – but only after receiving no answer, he noticed he had barely whispered the spider’s name. He wanted to try again, but a strange sound caught his attention…

Wait --- was someone crying in there?

“He doessssn’t love me!” A man who sounded just like Pentious wined, “he never will!”

“Oh, c’mon, don’t be so dramatic,” Angel retorted, which made Alastor’s smile only become more genuine – oh, funny, coming from someone who had spent whole nights crying on the counter because of his unrequited feelings. Very funny, Angel.

“He said he won’t see anymore, unless I get the surgery,” the snake added, “he is disgusted by my love for him!”

“Naah, bullshit. Arackniss is just --- ergh --- not used to affection,” Angel offered, “he never had a long-lasting relationship because of our father.”

“Your father? Aren’t you two adults by now?”

Angel laughed, “yeah, that shit doesn’t matter when you’re part of the mafia!”

Loudly, Pentious hissed, “oh.”

“Yeah, oh… there is a reason if I’m living here or at the Studio instead of going home,” uhm, fair point. Alastor never considered this before: not even for a moment, he thought Angel was there for something as deep as that. Honestly, he had always believed that the spider did what he did because it provided him an easy life, made of lust and fun – no responsibilities, just fun and nothing more.

Now that he considered it, Alastor felt a bit guilty, only a bit, though. There was always another option, he knew it well, but, even then, could he consider Angel’s life choice the easy one? Could he? Really?

Oh, none of this nonsense! If he was still working for Valentino, instead of asking for Charlie’s help, he did enjoy that dirty life of his!

“But can’t you assssk Alastor’s help?” Pentious asked, “he is pretty strong, you know?”

“I don’t wanna,” Angel whispered – of course, he didn’t want to, he liked that ---

“I don’t wanna bother him with my problems. I’m trying to get something serious out of it – I don’t want to make him think that I’m so weak and helpless…”

Alastor’s throat tightened – something serious, uh…?

Now, that was scary…

Ugh … he needed to leave…

He didn’t need that contagious disease.

**

“Where is Angel?” was the first thing Rosie asked me when he first saw him.

Alastor shrugged, closing the door of the store behind him before drowning into the darkness again, “I do believe the best question is: where is Husk?”

The female demon snapped her fingers, lighting up the lamps in her little emporium. The deer found himself surrounded by objects of every form and genre Alastor, reminding him that, at that very moment, he was neither safe nor in danger. Depending on what he would decide to say, he had either a chance to fail or to get out of there without useless fights - he needed to play it easy.

Quietly, the woman adjusted a carillon on the shelf behind the counter, “I believed you said I could have him, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did but I asked you to let him work at the hotel too,” if he wanted Husk so badly, she should at least listen to his demands.

“And I told you that I wanted to have a private conversation with him before deciding whether I wanted to keep him or not,” she murmured, turning the winch of the wooden box to charge it, “so, the real question is, Alastor, what have I told him to let him ran away like from me?”

The music started playing, and the tension eased just a little thanks to the calming melody.

“So, my dear friend, what have you told him?” Alastor asked, advancing and ordering his shadow to offer her the bouquet of flowers he had previously bought on his way there.

What a devilish gift it was: in Hell, flowers didn’t grow spontaneously – all the flowers you could find, where simply the ones people who suffered from unrequited love expelled from their suffering body.

She looked at the flowers, beautiful, white roses, and grinned, taking it from his hands and smelling the delicious scent of blood still fresh on the petals. She seemed to like them, a lot, as she lingered with her fingertips on the soft flowers where the reddish liquid had yet to dry, “I’m keeping these,” Rosie announced, happily.

“But I want you to bring me flowers every Sunday, now – you know, as an apologize for letting you have both Husk and Angel.”

“What have you told him?“ He asked again, frowning. Keeping them? What was she talking about?

She sneered, “I told him how you died.”


	5. The two Contenders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Update might be slower than before due to University.

**_ Once Upon A Time, Love Bloomed in Hell : Chapter 5 _ **

**_Orchids_ **

**_5_ **

**_The two contenders_ **

Alastor didn’t want to face Husker right ahead, instead, he decided to look for a flower shop. At this point, he was sure Husk would ask him what kind of flower had caused his death, and he wanted to be ready. It was not something he really wanted to do, of course – who cared what an old flower meant?

Though he had to admit, he was not doing it just to be prepared for Husker’s question – no! He was doing his little research because he was curious: Rosie had told him his flowers were called ‘Orchids’ and that he’d find their meaning quite --- amusing.

When he spotted the little shop in the dark alley, a demon was selling his own flower to the owner – orange, bloody tulips were the guests of the stranger’s lungs, and, at this point, Alastor wondered if some demons were purposely keeping the disease just for the sake of easy money… Ugh, disgusting: he wouldn’t like to see the fruit of his heartbreak in someone’s else hands.

So, he waited for the stranger to go away, before approaching, again, the imp who owed the shop. She was a little woman, with a broken horn, dark hair hidden under a hat of white wool, and a gorgeous smile.

“Sir, you’re here again? Did your mysterious lady not like the flowers?” She asked, cleaning her hands from dirt and blood using her long skirt.

“Oh, no, no – I must thank you for your advice, my dear: she loved it! Actually, if you allow me, I’m here for a question about a certain flower.”

The imp did a little pirouette on the spot, opening her arms, and beamed, “Which one, Sir? I have many!”

“Orchids. I’d like to know the meaning of those flowers.”

“Oh, beautiful choice,” The woman’s tail swirled, “it might vary, depending on the coloration, but… most of the time it’s about perfection, fertility, loyalty, and admiration. Are you asking it for the disease, aren’t you?”

Alastor nodded, slightly. Perfection? Fertility? How were those things supposed to help a relationship?

“But, I apologize, aren’t the flowers supposed to give you hints about how to make, let’s say, the love bloom between the two? I think fertility is not something to consider since the beginning.”

“Yes, indeed, you’re right, but, sometimes, certain flowers only have the purpose to show you what kind of relationship it would be. They’ll show you the future, that is,” she explained, moving her hands frenetically, trying to get rid of the blood under her nails, “let’s say, in Orchid’s case, a great, fulfilling relationships awaits!”

Another customer arrived, and Alastor simply stood there, near the flowers

A great, fulfilling relationship, he repeated quietly in his mind – he had given up on a relationship that probably everyone wanted. Don’t get him wrong, he was not regretting it, but he wasn’t untouched by the information either.

It was time to get back to the hotel – if Husk knew about all of this, he had a bad feeling.

He only hoped he was still in time for his and Angel’s plan.

**

Matter of fact, when Alastor arrived, not only Angel but Husker too were waiting for him, right at the entrance, at the reception. They were sitting on the same couch, at the opposite sides: Angel’s eyes widened when Alastor opened the door, surprised, but the demon who reached out first, was Husker.

“We need to talk, asshole,” he grunted, flying from the couch to the deer, whose eyes had yet to leave Angel’s – why were the spider’s eyes so red and swollen?

“No need for that,” Alastor replied, not even thinking about it properly, and forced Husk to step aside, using his mic to free his way.

“Hi, Al,” the spider murmured as the Overlord walked towards him, “you should let him talk…”

Oh, so, Alastor assumed, Husk had told him too…

“What for? I believe we had a plan for this evening…”

“Don’t use him to run away from our conversation,” the bartender hissed, “you can always make him fall in love with someone else, don’t you?”

Alastor eyebrows furrowed and slightly turned to face the cat – how did he --- how did he know?

“I paid a visit to my wife – she told me everything,” the cat admitted, crossing his arms against his fluffy chest, “she told me about the tickets – about the gifts, about the lies you told me to not come at the bar anymore. She told me… how she was the last person to see you before your death.”

Alastor didn’t say anything, not because he wanted to give Husk a chance to vent but it was, instead, because he didn’t know what to say. Why was the cat so hurt? It was the past – it was something that had happened almost a century ago.

“And you know why I looked for her?” The bartender asked, growling, “because Rosie told me how I killed you.”

Behind Alastor, Angel shifted uncomfortably, “don’t be silly. You did not.”

“Oh? You sure? Because Rosie said you died because of the disease!” He snarled.

“If you don’t know, what killed me was a bullet between my eyes,” which was only partially true, honestly.

They had shot him in his head only because he was suffering because of the flowers. Though, indeed, the disease had been the main cause: during his escape, the disease had slowed him down, to the point where he hadn’t been able to walk anymore…

But probably, Husk already knew that…

“I want to take part in your deal,” Husker resumed, making Angel whimper.

“Deal? What deal?” He couldn’t be talking about…

“The one you have with the boy hiding behind you.”

“I don’t have the time for you,” unless Husk had something better to offer, Alastor had no force of will to split his time between him and Angel. It was too tiresome, already…

“Besides, you can’t even love anymore. You gave up those emotions a long time ago.”

But this didn’t seem to stop Husk, who grinned, “yeah, and do you remember who is the demon collecting the demon’s emotions? Do you remember who cursed me?”

What kind of question was it?

Of course, he did!

He was talking of a fellow Overlord – not someone Alastor was so fond of, but …

“Do you remember who is working for that Overlord?”

Angel sniffed.

Who could he be referring t--?

Suddenly, Alastor’s brain blacked out and, oh, so slowly, twisted on his heels to come back to his spider friend.

“Anthony,” the deer called, swallowing loudly while his mind started picturing many different scenarios.

“You wanted to stay with him,” Angel whined, hiding his face with both hands, “if he could love again…”

“Even if he could love again, nothing would change. I’m no longer the man I once was,” Alastor said, but, strangely, it sounded more like a promise than a simple explanation. Why did he feel the need to reassure the poor spider?

No.

No!

This had to stop! He was getting too involved in that little game he had started just for fun.

“Nah, you’re just the same asshole,” Husk offered.

“Husk…”

“The same narcissistic weirdo…”

“Ḩ̴̛̣̳̫̀Ū̵̢̧̥̠̥͉͈̮́̋͒̾̒͒̓̕̕S̴̘̜̟̺̬̑͗͐Ķ̵̩̬̦̞͔̜̍̍͛̆̓͊̕!̷̢̝̺͚͍̈̑̍͋̉̾͋ͅ” and out of nowhere, Alastor’s smile was wider, his teeth sharper and his antlers longer and thicker. The demon could sense both Husker’s and Angel’s fear and – oh, wait – was it a little of disgust too? Were they disgusted by the sight of his transformation?

“Just look at me, both of you,” he commanded, summoning a shadow to take Husk closer against his will, “just look at me and tell me that you’re still attracted by this,” he added, pointing at his face with the mic. His face twisted, his features became more and more brutal and feral. He started to look thinner and emaciated – his bones started being visible.

Husk tried to open his mouth first, but Alastor’s chuckle made him pause, “none of that, kitty. You know what happens if you lie to me – it’s written in the deal we made.”

“And you, Anthony?”

The shadow forced Angel to pull away his hands, revealing to him the monstrosity he dared to say he liked so much. The spider went still, holding back his breath as he examined the demon until he started trembling.

He didn’t give him an answer, and that was everything Alastor needed.

“I can kill you, both of you, if you don’t give up with this façade,” he warned them, and his voice was different too, at that point. It was lower, guttural, more interferences could be heard as he spoke…

“We are not in heaven,” he reminded them, making his shadows tighten the grip on the two lower demons, “there isn’t space for love here.”

And they stared at him with the same look of fear he had once seen on his mother’s face.

They looked so frightened, so weak…

And Alastor was not strong enough to protect either of them.

They seemed --- so hopeless.

“Go in your rooms, before I decide to get rid of your useless bodies,” of course, he would never, not without a worthy purpose, but still – it seemed to work.

Angel kicked the air to get away from the shadow, down from the couch, and run away, towards the stair and up to his room. As for Husk, the cat flew back to his little bar in the other room.

Eh, as his expectation…

Everyone loved you until it was not worth it anymore.

A little trick was enough to make them run away like little rats.


	6. Eternity

When someone knocked at his door the next afternoon, for a brief moment, Alastor thought it was Angel, or Husk, trying to sneak into his office to talk again. Instead, the demon who opened the door to peek inside, was Nifty, with her one big eye focused on him, “Charlie wants to see you.”

The deer blinked. Why was it? Husker was back to the hotel safe and sound; Pentious hadn’t caused any explosion yet; and, as far as he knew, they were not waiting for new patrons for that day. Perhaps, Alastor thought, she wanted to tell him to keep Rosie away from the hotel ---mh, nope, that didn’t make any sense either.

“Do you happen to know what she wants to talk about?”

Nifty shook her head, making him huff.

What did she want now…?

Followed by the growl of his shadow, Alastor headed outside, in the corridor, which, strangely, was very quiet. At that hour, usually, the patrons were in their rooms, waiting for dinner, but that afternoon, Alastor couldn’t sense almost any of them in the rooms. Curious, he ordered Nifty to look for them while he got back on the main business: going to Charlie’s office.

Passing by Angel’s room, he found out that one was empty too.

Weird, he was sure that the porno star’s shift started later that night so why wasn’t he inside?

Massaging his temples, he considered that that must be the reason for Charlie’s meeting…

But again, fate decided to prove him wrong.

From the room came a wicked aura, which wasn’t from Charlie herself, but from the walls, as if someone extremely powerful had been there before him. And Alastor grew curious – what was happening behind that door, he wondered, grabbing the doorknob?

“Alastor,” she greeted him when he stepped inside, “we need to talk,” she said, waiting for him to sit down as she stood in front of the main window of the room.

“If it’s about the spider, I’ll send Nifty to look for him.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Charlie smiled, “he is with Husk, he wanted the day off.”

Alastor frowned, “And what about your beloved bar?”

“I think a day without it won’t hurt anyone – besides, I would like to talk with you before they’re back,” she smiled tenderly at him, “I know everything.”

Trapped.

Alastor felt in a trap, packed in a box he couldn’t get out from unless he ripped it open.

He had to admit he was pretty dense when it came to certain topics, but if the princess wanted to talk with him before the duos’ return, it didn’t mean any good…

“Someone told me,” she chirped, “you made a deal with Angel.”

Shit…

“Yes, we did.”

“And Husk wanted to join too, correct?”

Oh, for Lucifer sake, had they really asked for the Princess’ help? Seriously? What were they, 2 years old?

“Correct,” he admitted, without adding more.

“And you scared them off. Why?”

Okay, okay, fair, Alastor thought, she wanted to hear his opinion too, at least. But he had no intention to tal---

“Because I think they’re being childish – wait…” The deer opened his eyes in horror: why had those words slipped so easily from his mouth?!

“It’s a spell,” Charlie clarified, drawing a circle mid-air with her finger, “I asked an acquittance of mine to enchant this room so all my guests would tell me the truth and only the truth.”

“Fuck,” the deer breathed out, covering his mouth as soon as he heard the sound of his curse.

Charlie’s happy face only brightened up, “oh? So you do curse! Oh, no! No need to answer this!”

“Did you really need to trick me?” Yes, Alastor answered in his brain – he had to admit that without a spell like that, he would never talk so openly in front of someone else. In front of a lady, whatsoever.

“Did you really need to scare them?” She retorted, “they only wanted a chance from you!”

“I can’t give them what they want,” Alastor started, feeling as if someone was picking the words from his throat with a plier to take them out. As if words were made of substance and someone had introduced their hand deep, down in his inside to bring them out.

“And what do you think they want?”

The deer snorted, “affection? Intimacy? Love? These are all things I can’t give them.”

Charlie twisted her lips, “just because you don’t feel romantic or sexual attraction, it doesn’t mean…”

“I know what it means, thank you very much,” Alastor interrupted her, starting to scratch his jaw – honestly, it was kind of nice to speak so freely without a censure, “I’ve been living like this for ages.”

He didn’t need someone to explain to him what it meant. In fact, he did knew that love was not only a romantic nor sexual matter: as his mother had used to tell him, love had many disguises. Love could be a romantical, chemical attraction, but, at the same time, it could be the mere will to spend time with someone else out of curiosity, out of a mental connection.

You could have a nice body – you could be a very loving and caring person, but if you had no brain at all, (or one that didn’t interest him in the slightest) Alastor would never fall for you.

He needed that smart charm, the class of an elegant thought…

“Then? What’s the problem?” Charlie asked, and the deer couldn’t really say if she was doing it just to help the spider and cat or, more likely, if she was just feeding her own interest.

“Would you be happy to love someone who’s interest is merely based on the entertainment they can get from you?”

“Define your definition of ‘entertainment’, please,” she demanded, snapping her fingers so one of her little demons started writing down each and every word coming from Alastor.

Oooh, so he was right: she was doing it out of curiosity, not because she cared.

She was just like her father, Alastor noted.

Though, even with the aid of the spell, words failed him, “entertain me?”

“How?” Charlie asked, again, “what does it mean for you?”

The deer sighed and fixed his gaze on a photo Charlie had on her desk, in which she and Vaggie were smiling happily. Now that he thought about it – had he ever been in a relationship he could be content of? He thought the answer was no…

Yes, he had contracted the disease many times, but, in his case, it had never been because of love – mere interest, at best. Most of the time, said interest had never been reciprocated but it never was a problem for Alastor: like that interest was born, just like that, it would turn into nothing.

That was the truth: Angel and Husk had left the room because they were afraid of him killing them; but what about Alastor? Which was his excuse for leaving bits and pieces of his precarious interest behind?

“Alastor,” Charlie called again, gently, “what does it mean for you to be in a relationship?”

The demon shrugged, “to have someone to trust, to be fond of. Perhaps, spending time together too.”

“See?” Charlie exulted.

“Demon belle,” Al stopped her, moving his hand from his jaw to the back of his nape, “this is not enough for most people. The kinds like Angel and Husk want more from a relationship – I’d be content with just sharing the silence of a room doing our separate things, but not them. They want more – they want love, and affection and physical touches. What I can offer them is the bare minimum.”

For a moment, Charlie remained silent, tapping her chin with her fingers as if lost in her thoughts, “let them choose it,” she said, finally, “You have nothing to lose, Alastor.”

“But I have no time for their little challenge!”

“Bullshit! You’re in Hell, Alastor, you have plenty of time! You have eternity!”

Eternity, Alastor murmured. Now, that seemed like a lot, honestly, but for him, a man who used to be so stressed by the _lack of time,_ always afraid of not being able to do anything, even eternity seemed both too much and too short.

He could always get killed in the meantime, he considered – many things could happen…

Okay, nope, now he was just being paranoid…

But then, a little thought came to his mind, “but what if I’d get annoyed by a – let’s say – potential partner?”

“Alastor… why do you have to be so difficult?” and this time, Charlie’s voice hid a bit of irritation between the words.

“I fail to understand what you mean, dear,” the deer tried, crossing his legs, “I’m just considering each and every possibility.”

Sighing, the Princess walked around the table, “relationships are not based on pros and cons. They’re not deals.”

“Perhaps now, but from the time I come from, parents used to discuss their kids love-life as if it was a matter of death or life,” that was true. He was used to parents treating engagements as if they were a contract – contract Alastor had never liked. They used to study each and every candidate and, only if you were lucky, they’d ask for your opinion on the matter.

“So?” Charlie tried again, not wanting to let him win, “don’t you think you should get over it? You’re here, in Hell, where everyone does whatever they want.”

Oh, was she praising the freedom of Hell? Ahah, interesting, “are you trying to make me sin, demon belle?”

Charlie huffed, making a lock of blonde hair shift from her face, “Pff, caring is never a sin.”

Then, Nifty thrilled, “they’re back,” from behind the door.

“Ouf, well, looks like you’re free to go.”

Only then, Alastor noticed his breath had been heavy and slow until that very moment. Ah, feelings always made him so anxious…

“You’re free to go where you please. Be it in your room, at the bar or even outside,” she waved a hand at him, dismissing their meeting.

“ Ooh, finally!” He said, not even caring anymore about the spell or whatever – why hiding his annoyance when it was everything people were doing with him?

“What now?” Nifty asked, following him after he had jumped outside the room in a rush, “will you give them a chance?”

So everyone was aware of what was going on, uh? Definitely, the kind of gossip Alastor hated the most…

“Would you?”

The little demon scoffed, adjusting the foulard around her neck, covering the scar a lover had once caused her, “are they like _him?_ ”

“Are you afraid they’d try to hurt me?”

She nodded – oh, oh. That now was funny! He didn’t believe either of them would be able to damage him in any possible way; maybe, Husk could scratch him, but nothing more than that, chance is given.

“They won’t. They’re too good to even try.”

But Nifty didn’t seem convinced at all, “why are they in Hell if they’re so good?”

“I’m afraid, there are many things Heaven can’t forgive, darling,” he tried to explain, coming to the point where the path split: he could go back to his room or, instead, walk down the stairs to meet the two contenders.

“I’m here because I kill who I think deserves it, and while for me it seems to be a good idea, Heaven doesn’t allow it,” he resumed.

“Husker is here because he liked to drink and bet – nothing serious, of course, but God seems to be against it, which is --- a pity,” he added, pausing at the top of the stairs, looking at the three demons chattering away from them. It seemed Pentious had joined the other two…

“Angel is here because he was forced to grow up in a certain way and found solace in chaos,” he ended, “so, Nifty, who should you be more afraid of?”

As Angel turned his eyes upstairs, meeting Alastor’s only for a second, the deer focused on Nifty.

Coward…

“Hey! You two!” Pentious screamed, “wanna drink something with us?”

“I’d never be afraid of you,” Nifty whispered, giggling, “maybe a little scared when you refuse to bathe for more than a week.”

“If you wanna join us,” Husker shouted, “be sure to keep your creepy ass at bay!”

And, unawares, Alastor’s eyes saddened: it was funny how someone who had always claimed to love and appreciate you, had yet to understand that he’d never kill someone out of a whim. (Well, okay, he would, but only with a solid reason behind it.)

After all those years, Husker had yet to understand that there was a moral behind what Alastor did. He didn’t kill solely because he liked it, no, that would be so not elegant!

“You go, darling. You deserve a break – I have work to do, I must admit.”

“What?! Nononono! Boss! Hey, someone! Help me!” Nifty shrieked, jumping on the spot while Alastor advanced towards his room.

“Nah, let him go. I don’t want a replay of yesterday,” yeah, of course, Husk didn’t want to. And, okay, Alastor might be wrong too; he might have been a bit extra but…

But what?

Alastor growled cursed under his breath - They were not overlord like him, he considered, then.

Of course, they must be afraid of him!

Of course, they’d prefer to run away instead of facing him!

Indeed, Alastor was acting exactly like the people who disgusted him…

Suddenly, someone spoke up, putting his departure on alt, “Oh, c’mon, Smiles! Enough work! You need to have fun sometimes, instead of gathering dust in that shady room!”

Angel’s voice was not steady as per usual, instead, it sounded almost tentative, cracked by a recent smoke, judging by the stench Alastor caught at that moment. The deer came back near Nifty, who made another jump on her heels to then grab him from the sleeve, “see? Let’s go, let’s go!”

Alastor looked at Angel, and noticed that the spider, even if so slightly, was biting his lip, uncertain and, if Alastor dared to call it so, the fear of the day prior was still there.

Out of nowhere, Alastor felt the need to do a quick reasoning: Husker, of course, he was not afraid of him, he was just … tired of everything related to them; Angel, on the other hand, was very afraid, yes, but only because Alastor had voluntarily caused that fear. It was not because he was afraid of Alastor himself, indeed, it was just…

It was just Alastor’s stubbornness the problem…

He saw plots everywhere; he saw cheating and betrayal behind every corner – indeed, Alastor was very paranoid.

But maybe, just maybe, he could give Angel a chance, after all, their deal had yet to be accomplished.

Finally, the deer huffed, “if you really want me to join,” he started, watching with a little bit of amusement how Angel released his lip to open his mouth and nod, “I expect you to let me offer you a drink, Angel.”

“What?!” The spider screeched, squishing his own cheeks with the first pair of hands to put the other pair together, as if praying, “really?”

Behind him, Pentious mouthed something resembling an “I told you,” to Husker, who simply grinned before saying, “I’m not part of the deal, am I?”

Alastor tried to speak, to say that maybe he could have a chance, but he stopped. Was it really what he thought? He didn’t envy, not even in the slightest, couples with the perfect relationship his orchids had once predicted. He and Husk had already had their moment, once.

It was also true that now, in Hell, he had the whole eternity waiting for him, so, it wouldn’t be a problem to give Husker, dear, another piece of his time.

But…

But…

Alastor’s heart had nothing to offer to his cat friend.

Nothing more than friendship, that is – and, that too was already so damaged.

Love couldn’t bloom between them, not anymore, at least.

So, just like that, the Overlord tried to soften his devilish grin, and started going downstairs accompanied by Nifty, “I’m afraid, It’s a two parties deal, my friend.”

At that, Husk clicked his tongue, “well,” he said, heading towards the bar, “your loss.”

“His loss?” Pentious repeated, following, “better a spider in your bed than a professional hairball spitter!” Earning a flying, empty bottle of booze from the bartender.

Angel chuckled and, when Nifty let Alastor go, he waited for Alastor to get closer, “you sure you don’t want him in our deal? You said he was your exception.”

“I’m afraid I’ve never been that much of a romantic, my dear,” he replied, offering his arm to Angel, “gentleman, yes, but --- “ and gesticulated towards the cat who was now throwing bottles to Pentious.

Sure, Husker was still Husker. Grumpy, always angry, beloved bartender, but, aside from that… where was his Husker? Where was the man who used to enjoy life in every kind of way? The adventurer, the charming man, the elegant bartender who made the girls go wild in his younger age…

Where was he?

Alastor couldn’t see him anymore.

It was an older version of Husk. A grumpier, sadder kind and, sad to admit, Alastor felt nothing more than a friendly interest for him.

No more need to spend every night with him just for the sake of talking, in the dull light of an old lamp on the counter.

No need to drink until they were both too tired and drunk to get in their rooms to the point to end one in the arms of the other, just to find comfort in each other warmth (well, Husk’s mostly, considering that Alastor had always been cold like a snowman).

Eventually, the deer breathed out, slowly, relieved: he was free.

He could breathe. 

“He is not the Husker I was used to. And I’m not the Alastor of his young years.”

“But what if --- I’m not like him? What if I’m not the exception?” Angel tried, taking his arm.

Alastor smiled, a bit to tenderly for his standards, but, who cared, nobody was watching, “you wouldn’t be an exception if you were like Husk. Besides… I believe you have yet to impress me, my dear.”

“And you have yet to apologize for yesterday, Smiles,” the spider cooed, following Alastor’s steps.

“Mmmh, I don’t know – do you like _meat?”_

For a brief moment, Angel scowled, “of course, I…” but when Alastor’s grin surfaced again and his eyes glowed red, the spider’s mouth got a silent O shape, “I mean --- I never tried it before.”

“Care to join me for dinner, this Saturday?” Alastor asked and another shriek of the spider almost broke his monocle.


	7. Yellow Orchids

**_Yellow Orchids: friendship & new beginnings._ **

Later, Alastor came back to Husk, yellow orchids in one hand and a bottle of rum in the other. The bar was quiet, and, in the background, only the murmur of the cat was audible, but only if you paid enough attention to it.

“What’s the occasion?” The cat asked, cleaning the glasses the other demons had left for him to take care of.

Alastor held him the bottle, “care to drink with an old friend?”

Finally, the bartender looked at the flowers, examining the color, “so, it was yellow, after all,” he muttered, grinning and, just like that, he took the rum from the other’s hand.

Alastor nodded, placing the flowers onto the counter, “of course, my friend, yellow and nothing more.”

“Knowing that, I’d have killed you with my own hands,” and, with a ‘pop’, he opened the bottle.

“You’re a good man, Husker,” the deer offered, sitting on the closest stool.

“The other day, I looked for orchids meaning,” the cat confessed, “love, perfection, admiration, fertility, “he added, “the relationship of my dreams, really.”

“And turns out,” Alastor continued for him, “it was just a silly, yellow orchid. The one nobody ever talks about.”

Husk scoffed, “you could have chosen a better color. Yellow it’s so ugly…” and filled two new glasses for them.

“It looks better than both of us now, though,” Alastor admitted, and both of them first looked down at the flowers, and then, staring at each other. They observed each other’s animalistic traits: their ears; their fur – there was nothing left of the men they used to be, not even in their appearance.

“You look older. Aging did a trick on you,” Alastor mocked.

“And you look like an asshole,” growling, Hust retorted, trying to take a sip.

Alastor shrugged, “And you’re an elbow, but I’m not complaining.”

“...I hate you.”

**__ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied --- THIS is the last chapter of this issue!  
> The next one will start in a couple of days if I find the time to finish the next chapter.  
> Thank you for your patience!


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